By Isaiah
I’m Isaiah/Heesung, and I’m finally back home.
I’ve just spent the last nine months in Seoul, South Korea, reconnecting with the motherland. But the transition back to the suburbs of LA hasn’t been easy, and I’m not talking jet lag. The roads here are huge and the buildings are short; the only thing open past 10 pm is Denny’s; and everyone blocks the escalator instead of standing on one side to let you through. So inconsiderate, for real!
It’s like I’m getting reverse culture shock where my own hometown feels awkward and unpolished. And maybe comparing it to the bright lights of South Korea’s capital isn’t the fairest comparison, but still. The heart feels what the heart feels.
I totally miss Korea. But maybe there’s something to be learned in the missing.
For one, there’s a part of me that values independence a bit too much. Experiencing 9 months of personal and financial freedom to make my own (good) choices has given me a taste of the drug that is few to no commitments, and coming back to family life where there are interpersonal expectations and responsibilities was jarring. But I’m slowly learning that there’s way more joy to be had in spending time with family and cherishing them, even though they “crimp my style a bit.”
Also, I seem to be the kind of person that needs some form of structure to thrive. In Seoul, class started promptly at 9 am each day, giving me a compelling reason to get out of bed and get stuff done. Without something like that, it’s harder for me to do things like sleep at a proper time or spend my time NOT doing the most dopamine-maxxing activities. So, I’ve been learning how to create structure in my own life through various kinds of commitments, such as to my communities, to work, to myself, etc. Notion, the web platform that allows you to basically build your own productivity tools, has been especially useful for this. (I’ve even made some niche cool stuff like daily push-up counters.)
So sure, the transition back hasn’t been the easiest thing ever, but would I say my gap year was worth it in general?
Totally.
I learned more about my culture and myself, helping me to build a more stable identity and giving me confidence in my own life; I met really cool people from all over the world who were studying Korean with me and learned a lot from their unique perspectives; I worked out how to manage one’s personal finances; I dove deep into various hobbies and topics I previously didn’t have any time for, like archery or fashion; and I reflected on philosophical questions like why is life worth living anyway? and that sort of thing. The list could genuinely go on and on.
Could I have spent my time better? Of course. But do I regret taking a gap year? Not at all. And I’m so grateful that DGYP was able to provide me with this opportunity.
And now, time to prepare for my next step: 21 more years of higher ed as I prepare to be a physician-scientist neurosurgeon or something like that.
See you guys in Durham, or LA, or Seoul, or Istanbul, or Saint Petersburg, or Osaka, or wherever you and I are at the same time.
See you then.
